Warriors: Broken

Chapter 14

⠀⠀ Lockwing arrived back at the camp with an apparently angry group waiting for her. At the front of it, Voleclaw. She exchanged a look with Ciphercry, who looked to be a mix between disappointed and worried. She sighed and sat herself a tail length from the deputy, a challenging glare sparking in her eyes. He fought the urge to growl as she did so.

⠀⠀ "What were you thinking?" he mewed hoarsely.

⠀⠀ "I was thinking that if you were to take that kit to a rogue, it wouldn't last long." She paused, remembering that to them, she used to be a rogue as well. "Not all of us are hospitable, but I figured you didn't know that, so I followed you," she finished, her head held high. Irritated, the tom simply huffed and walked towards Violetstar, who was currently ordering dawn patrols. He muttered something to her, but instead of anger, she looked rather impressed.

⠀⠀ "Lockwing," she mewed, signaling for the warrior to come over, "I'd like to go on a hunting patrol with you. I believe that you may have acquired some knowledge of Thunderclan that our deputy failed to collect." Though most cats would be, the warrior wasn't shocked. She knew many secrets, and now she had frightened Wrenflight beyond belief.

⠀⠀ "Okay," she mewed with a slight nod. The leader padded out of the camp, her new warrior close behind. Holding back a snicker, Lockwing shot Voleclaw a look of triumph. He bared his teeth and turned, assigning the rest of the dawn patrols.

⠀⠀ "So, how did you manage to remain unseen? Voleclaw said he saw you run away, but that you turned back when you heard a scream," the leader mewed as she fixed her eyes on a dandelion. It was the beginning of Newleaf, meaning that hunting for Windclan was very good with the rabbits growing fat on the abundance of yellow flowers.

⠀⠀ "There is a large tree that's grown to hang above the camp. It's fairly new, and easy to stay hidden in if you choose the right spot," she replied between inhales in an attempt to scent prey. She grinned as the fluffy white tail of a rabbit came into view on the opposite side of a small valley. With quiet paws, she made her approach, but she forgot to stay low. Anger rushed through her veins as the animal bolted up and over a nearby hill. Defeated, she padded back to her leader.

⠀⠀ "Stay low," the tabby mewed. Lockwing nodded with a sigh and watched as the older she cat stiffly positioned herself into a crouch. She has to be at least 80 moons, the golden warrior thought. Then she wondered how old Voleclaw was. He had young kits, but she was fairly sure that he had adult kits as well. 60 moons, she concluded.

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⠀⠀ Several days had passed since the hunting trip, and it was time for the warrior's first gathering, and not just as a Windclan member. In Thunderclan, she had only been asked to go to one gathering by Willowstar, but she refused because neither her brothers nor Ashfang, who was Ashpaw at the time, were going.

⠀⠀ Ciphercry flattened his ears at the sight of another clan, Riverclan. As they filed in, Shadowclan cats gathered behind them with unfriendly hisses. Windclan apprentices retaliated with mocking crouches, but they were soon stopped by the senior warriors. As they took their seats, Lockwing made sure that she surrounded herself with larger cats. Thunderclan began to file onto the island with threatening glares at Windclan. Willowstar took her place on a branch and nodded for the other leaders to begin. Badgerstar, leader of Riverclan, cleared his throat.

⠀⠀ "Riverclan is doing unimaginably well," he began, angling a pointed look at Redstar. "There was a border skirmish with Shadowclan, but our warriors bravely defended themselves and their territory. We have three new kits, two sons and two daughters, from Leafsong and Thistlebite." He paused, waiting for the cheering subside. "We also have two new apprentices, Oatpaw and Bramblepaw." A duo of dark gray toms stood, eyes shining. Violetstar nodded, waiting patiently for the clans to grow silent.

⠀⠀ "Windclan, though we are going through struggles, has remained strong. We gained two new warriors, but lost a queen, as well as having a kit stolen by rogues." Gasps echoed through each of the clans, though Shadowclan still remained unsurprised. "A fox killed Fincheye while she was out of the camp late several nights ago. When the clan returned from the scene, a kit was gone. We can only hope that he's alive and well." Cats of Windclan nodded, though many of them were glaring at Shadowclan.

⠀⠀ "Shadowclan, along with Riverclan, is doing very well," Redstar mewed abruptly, shattering the silence. "We have welcomed Cinderleg and Stagheart's three kits, Shrewkit, Vixenkit, and Viperkit, as well as two warriors, Runningheart and Stormpelt." Shadowclan yowled in support of their new members, one of them catching Lockwing's eye as she refused to cheer. It was the she cat that had carried Viperkit away. The Shadowclan warrior's blue eyes glinted in triumph as the clans quieted. Finally, Willowstar spoke.

⠀⠀ "Thunderclan has lost two noble senior warriors, Redwind and Daisytail, along with an elder, Kinkear. Bluejays were filled with deathberries, and our dear clanmates fell victims to the murderer. On the same night, Windclan's very own deputy entered our camp with a kit. It seems very unlikely that their queen died because of a-"

⠀⠀ "How dare you accuse us of killing your clan members! How in the name of Starclan could we have pulled something like that off?" a voice erupted from the back of the Windclan group. It was a cat that she'd heard was named Coalfoot. Most of the Windclan cats didn't like him because he was very rarely in the camp, and when he was, he was just dropping off prey or reporting danger. Most leaders would die for a warrior like that, but most warriors would kill for there not to be. He raised the standards, making other clan members appear lazy or weak. The smokey gray tom with a black tail, paws, and ears shoved his way to the front. His deep blue eyes gleamed in annoyance.

⠀⠀ "You may not have noticed, Willowstar, but Windclan is in no position for a battle. In fact, we brought you a kit, of all the other clans, because we feel that we can trust you. Now, how idiotic would it be to send a kit to a certain clan and then get in a battle only days after, endangering that very kit?" he growled. "That kit could have gotten in the deathberries, for Starclan's sake!" The tom narrowed his eyes to sea colored slits as he waited for a response, fur bristling.

⠀⠀ "Very well," Willowstar mewed, shock rattling her voice. "I suppose it was unfair of me to do such a thing. I will find the culprit, whether it be in another clan or my own. However, I am not done with accusation. Voleclaw nearly killed Timberwing, a loyal Thunderclan warrior, because he asked him to-"

⠀⠀ "What?!" Voleclaw hissed, looking up at the leader. "Your 'warrior' attacked me because he thought I put the deathberries in your bluejays!" Willowstar unsheathed her claws and was about to speak when she was interrupted once again.

⠀⠀ "It's true!" Blossomfall cried, being one of the few honest Thunderclan cats at the gathering. "My kit is at the camp, sleeping with Scarletdew and her kits. I will not risk his life for your clan's pride, mother!" she hissed, glaring at the leader. With that, the she cat turned and stormed away.

⠀⠀ A stunned silence gripped the small island, every cat unwilling to move or speak. Finally, a cold wind cut through the bushes. Willowstar leaped down from her perch, ordering her clan to leave. They nodded and followed her over the Treebridge, not uttering a word. Coalfoot and Voleclaw shared a look as Violetstar picked her way down, along with the other leaders.

⠀⠀ "Let's leave, Windclan." she mewed, parting the large cluster of Riverclan cats blocking the entrance. She stopped, dipping her head to Badgerstar, who in turn dipped his back. With that, Windclan set off towards home, unaware of the surprise waiting patiently for them to arrive.

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